Centerfield

Have you ever had a project where you thought “If you want it done right, you have to do it yourself”? Or perhaps you figured that you could do it a whole lot faster and more accurately than having to take the time to show someone else how to do it? John Fogerty must have felt this way. He wrote/sang a song in 1985 titled “Centerfield”. It depicts his passion for the greatest game on earth – America’s pastime – BASEBALL!! Fogerty had a CD/album/tape by the same title on which he played every instrument and sang the vocals as well.

Baseball is a team sport. It takes nine men to cover the entire field. In order to accomplish anything, everyone on the field has to work together as a team. “Centerfield” speaks of one man’s desire to get into the game…to make a difference. Not just to get into the game, but to play one of the most important positions on the field. A centerfielder has to know everything that is going on. Other than the catcher, he has the best and broadest perspective on the whole field. He probably has more ground to cover than any other player and is usually one of the fastest fielders with one of the best gloves (catching ability). He has to have one of the strongest arms on the team. He not only does he have to back up both of the other outfielders, but should also be backing up throws to second base. He has to be moving on every single play and know ahead of time where each runner is located and where to throw the ball when it is hit to him.

Regardless of how important centerfield is, no matter how good the centerfielder is, no matter how much passion or desire the centerfielder has, he is still only one of nine players on the field. He can’t play the game alone! You still need a pitcher to pitch to the batter, and a catcher to call the pitches and to be there to catch whatever the pitcher throws. You need four other infielders to field the grounders and throw out the runners before they reach the plate. And the centerfielder cannot cover the entire outfield. He needs help from two other guys. All nine men have to have a single purpose and work together to hold the other team to as few runs as possible and win the game.

The Lord’s body is the same. We often rely on our preachers or youth ministers or missionaries to spread the word of God, to feed the local flock, to teach us and our children, and to keep us awake during services. How often have we come away from services saying that we didn’t get anything out of Church, or that it didn’t make us feel any better, or that it was just too long, or maybe even that the preacher or worship leader should have done a better job. All the while we sit and watch from the dugout, content to take the credit for, or to share in, the good reputation of the congregation, and ready to criticize when we feel someone didn’t measure up.

Maybe it is time for us to gain the passion of teamwork, to be on the field, engaged in the game, yearning for someone to hit the ball to us…so that we can contribute. Don’t get me wrong, we still can’t do everything. Some people are better pitchers. Some better catchers or shortstops. Some can run faster and hit farther. Each member has different talents. Some are better preachers, teachers, singers, servers, prayers, or encouragers. But it still takes a full team to win. How passionate are we? How badly do we want to make a difference?

"Oh, put me in, Coach - I'm ready to play today;

Put me in, Coach - I'm ready to play today;

Look at me, I can be Centerfield"